Abstract: Described herein is a print medium support mechanism for supporting a print medium such as paper in a print zone adjacent a printer's printhead. The print medium support mechanism includes at least one drive roller positioned upstream from the print zone of the printer to feed paper into the print zone. An upper print media guide is positioned adjacent the drive roller between the drive roller and the print zone to contact and support the paper from above. A lower print media guide is mounted downstream from the upper print media guide to pivot between retracted and non-retracted positions relative to the print zone. When in its non-retracted position, the lower print media guide contacts and supports the paper from below. The support of the upper and lower print media guides against opposite sides of the paper is primarily responsible for establishing the shape and angle of the paper as it passes through the print zone.

Abstract: A food product processing transport system (300) includes an overhead transport rail (302) having first and second runs (356 and 358, 390 and 392), a food product carrier (310) suspended from the rail and defining a vertical plane, a drive mechanism (326) for advancing the carrier along the rail, and a turning arrangement (354, 394) between the first and second runs and changing the relative orientation between the vertical plane defined by the carrier and the direction of advancement of the carrier. The carrier includes a slider block (312) slidable along the rail.

Abstract: A battery-powered toothbrush has an elongated housing shaped to be grasped by the human hand. The housing encloses a battery-energized motor which drives a brush shaft that has a stub projecting through a nose of the housing and upon which in use a brush is mounted. A generally tubular housing shell confines the battery, motor and shaft. An upper half shell is of a U-shaped exterior cross section over a substantial portion of its length, while a lower half shell is mated to the upper half shell in definition of the housing and is of semi-cylindrical exterior cross-section over a like substantial portion of its length. The distance along those substantial portions approximates the width of the adult human hand. The shaft is offset downwardly from the longitudinal geometric axis. All shell portions of different diameter merge smoothly into other portions of the shell.

Abstract: A sheet stacking system is provided which includes mechanism designed to compensate for the aerodynamic forces which act on a sheet as it passes from the printer's output port to the floor of the printer's output tray. The system includes a pair of spaced, anti-sail wings which are positioned adjacent the printer's output port so as to controlledly receive just-expelled sheets. The wings are operatively associated with the output tray's floor, and are arranged so that opposite movement thereof results in rear-to-front sequential release of a supported sheet, directing substantially vertical passage of such sheet to the top of an output stack.

Abstract: An improved printer paper stack-handling device is described. In its preferred embodiment, the stack-handling device includes a pivot member with a downwardly inclining paper top-of-stack contact surface. The device also includes a force mechanism, e.g. a leaf spring, to pivot the member into contact with the top sheet of a paper stack. The spring and the pivot member's inclined contact surface produce a variable top sheet bias for corresponding variable paper stack heights, to properly laterally align the top sheet against a fixed, opposing guide rail, for feeding to a printer input port.

Abstract: An improved printer paper pullout apparatus is described. In its preferred embodiment, the pullout apparatus includes a grasping mechanism, a capture mechanism and a securing mechanism. The grasping mechanism facilitates concurrent paper tray and paper stack movement from a printer feed zone. The securing mechanism ensures proper paper gripping before the paper tray can be released and extended from the printer feed zone. In addition, the grasping mechanism is shaped and positioned on the paper tray for ease of operator grip when manually extending the paper tray from the printer feed zone.

Abstract: A paper handling system is provided which allows for controlled passage of a pivot between a normally biased initial position and a task-performing position. The pivot includes a sheet-directing member and a track which is fixed relative to the sheet-directing member and is movable to the task-performing position in opposition to pivot bias. A follower, which is configured for selected travel along the track, selectively applies a force against the track in opposition to biased sheet-directing member movement. A processor-controlled printhead carriage is used to trigger and then to regulate pivot rotation.

Abstract: A separator is provided for use in a sheet pick-up system, the separator including a rigid body having a base portion and a wear-resistant upstanding portion. The separator is mounted adjacent the printer's input port and is biased toward a motor-driven roller, pinching input sheets between the roller and the separator's upstanding portion so that the roller may pull the top sheet across the second sheet and the upstanding portion. A frictionally adherent pad is formed in operative association with the body so as to extend in a region forward of the upstanding portion and contact the second sheet to oppose intake thereof.

Abstract: The invented printer includes a paper drive and mechanisms which hold paper in proper alignment in the drive. Specifically, it includes a pressure plate capable of bringing a sheet of paper into contact with a drive roller so that the paper is properly aligned, a wrapper which keeps paper in proper contact with the drive roller, a media edge contactor that presses against paper, a carriage guide support which helps to insure proper alignment of the paper during printing, and a back-out restraint to prevent paper from backing out of the printer.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis system includes a sediment filter which cleans feed water from a source and from which that feed water is fed to a reverse osmosis membrane filter. Permeate from the latter is fed to a bladder within a storage tank. Concentrate from the membrane filter is fed to and used within the storage tank as squeeze water for the bladder. When a faucet that delivers permeate to the user is open, squeeze water is used to cause permeate to flow out of the storage tank through an impurity filter to supply the faucet. A valve unit is included to control the amount of squeeze water fed to the storage tank and to regulate permeate flow so that the water outletted from the faucet remains at a constant pressure and provides relief as against overpressure in the system. A proportioning valve within the valve unit serves to maintain at all times a constant ratio of concentrate to permeate flow through the membrane filter for adequate cleansing of the membrane.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis method includes a sediment filter which cleans feed water from a source and from which that feed water is fed to a reverse osmosis membrane filter. Permeate from the latter is fed to a bladder within a storage tank. Concentrate from the membrane filter is fed to and used within the storage tank as squeeze water for the bladder. When a faucet that delivers permeate to the user is open, squeeze water is used to cause permeate to flow out of the storage tank through an impurity filter to supply the faucet. A valve unit is included to control the amount of squeeze water fed to the storage tank and to regulate permeate flow so that the water outletted from the faucet remains at a constant pressure and provides relief as against overpressure in the system. A proportioning valve within the valve unit serves to maintain at all times a constant ratio of concentrate to permeate flow through the membrane filter for adequate cleansing of the membrane.

Abstract: An improved paper feed arrangement wherein a low vertical profile is attained through utilizing trained driven belts for picking paper from a hopper, and wherein picking reliability is enhanced both by the broad-expanse area contact offered by such belts, and by a unique coefficient to friction differential area downstream from a hopper wherein inadvertently plural picked paper sheets are easily separated.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis system includes a sediment filter which cleans feed water from a source and from which that feed water is fed to a reverse osmosis membrane filter. Permeate from the latter is fed to a bladder within a storage tank. Concentrate from the membrane filter is fed to and used within the storage tank as squeeze water for the bladder. When a faucet that delivers permeate to the user is open, squeeze water is used to cause permeate to flow out of the storage tank through an impurity filter to supply the faucet. A valve unit is included to control the amount of squeeze water fed to the storage tank and to regulate permeate flow so that the water outletted from the faucet remains at a constant pressure and provides relief as against overpressure in the system. A proportioning valve within the valve unit serves to maintain at all times a constant ratio of concentrate to permeate flow through the membrane filter for adequate cleansing of the membrane.

Abstract: An improved electrical test probe has a electrically conductive strain relief adapter mounted on a substrate for accepting a conductive cable having a central conductor and an outer shielding conductor separated by a dielectric layer. The conductive cable is inserted into the strain relief adapter with the outer shielding conductor in electrical contact with the adapter. The substrate is disposed within an electrically conductive elongate hollow body with the body being deformed proximate the location of the strain relief adapter to secure the substrate in the body and to provide electrical continuity between the outer shielding conductor and the substrate and the outer shielding conductor and the hollow body. The adapter further provides strain relief for the center conductor of the conductive cable and mechanical support for the substrate.

Abstract: A printhead cartridge and carriage assembly (10) is provided comprising: a carriage (12); a snap-spring (62) for securing a printing cartridge (14) in postion on the carriage; and an interconnect strip (16) for supplying electrical signals to the cartridge, including a force loading spring pad (24) for urging a portion of the interconnect strip against a portion of the cartridge. The cartridge has top (32), bottom (34), sides (36, 38), front (40) and rear (42) surfaces and includes a printhead (44) on the bottom surface, an electrical contact strip (46) on the back surface connected to the printhead, referencing pads (56) on the side surface, and a lip (64) on the back surface for accepting the snap-spring. Referencing surface (60) are provided for receiving the referencing pads on the cartridge. The spring pad urges the interconnect strip against the electrical contact of the cartridge.

Abstract: A novel ink-jet printer (10) is provided. The print provides both paper supply tray (12) and paper collection tray (18) in the front (14) of the printer for ease of paper handling and reduced footprint. The paper collection tray is provided with a pair of opposed output rails (22) which support a sheet of paper (16c) during printing to permit ink on a sheet of paper (16b) previously printed to dry. A paper handling mechanism is provided which eliminates a sheet pickup motor and associated elements. The paper handling mechanism is configured to pick off a sheet of paper from a stack of input paper, bring it around paper drive rollers (24) onto a platen (26), where the printing operation, employing a printhead cartridge (32), occurs. The printer further includes a service station (230) for clearing clogged nozzles in the printhead (33) and removing bubbles therefrom, for covering the nozzles with a protective cap (266), and for wiping contaminants off the nozzles.

Abstract: A locking system is described for detachably securing two workpieces together (e.g., two housing sections). Elongated arms are carried by one workpiece and a corresponding opening(s) is present in the other workpiece. The outer end of each elongated arm is resiliently deflectable so that it is deflected when being inserted into the opening in the one workpiece; then the arm springs back. A locking arm on the second workpiece is then able to move behind the end of the elongated arm to restrict deflection of the arm, thus preventing any unintentional unlocking of the two workpieces.

Abstract: Several problems of alignment associated with ink-jet printers are alleviated by four aspects. In the first, a reverse bow (B) in the paper (12) is created for printing on single sheets of paper. The reverse bow, which in the transverse axis of the paper, forces the paper flat against the platen (14) by using the paper's own stiffness.In the second aspect, the paper and the carriage (30) are referenced to the same part (the carriage guide (10)). In this configuration, the paper is urged against the underside of the carriage guide off of drive rollers (18), through the reverse bow, and onto the platen, where it is printed. The carriage is referenced to the carriage guide through a slider bump by means of a carriage shaft and gravity.The carraige guide comprises stiff thin sheet metal, which is closely-toleranced and has well-controlled dimensions. Thus, this part is good to reference to, rather than molded-in parts, which are not stiff enough at the required thickness.

Abstract: An active paper drop mechanism (20) for ink-jet printers is provided. The mechanism comprises a pair of opposed, movable rail members (22) associated with opposed walls (14) of a horizontal-disposed output collection tray (12) for receiving sheets (10) of printed media.In particular, each rail member is provided with return spring (26) that act to maintain the rails in a closed position. In that position, the rails support a sheet of the print medium during the printing operation, thus giving the ink on the previously printed-on sheet (10') time to dry.The rails are provided with a wing member (32) and are pivotally secured (38) in the floor of the output tray, with the pivot point spaced inwardly from the wing member. Downward pressure against the wing member thus causes the rail to rotate outward from its closed position, into a recess (24) provided in the side of the output tray. This provides sufficient clearance for the sheet to drop into the output stack.

Abstract: A novel ink-jet printer (10) is provided. The printer provides both paper supply tray (12) and paper collection tray (18) in the front (14) of the printer for ease of paper handling and reduced footprint. The paper collection tray is provided with a pair of opposed output rails (22) which support a sheet of paper (16c) during printing to permit ink on a sheet of paper (16b) previously printed to dry.A paper handling mechanism is provided which eliminates a sheet pickup motor and associated elements. The paper handling mechanism is configured to pick off a sheet of paper from a stack of input paper, bring it around paper drive rollers (24) onto a platen (26), where the printing operation, employing a printhead cartridge (32) occurs.The resulting printer is easy to manufacture, has reduced complexity by eliminating components in the paper drive mechanism and is lower in cost.